'Cats Comeback Falls Short in 2-1 Defeat to Zydeco

BATON ROUGE, LA-

The Blue Ridge Bobcats battled the first place Baton Rouge Zydeco for the second of a three game weekend series from the Raising Cane's River Center. The two clubs again played a tightly contested full 60 minutes, again decided by strong goaltending and special teams.

In a playoff-like tight checking contest, neither team found much time and space to work with, as Blue Ridge held Baton Rouge without a shot on goal for the first 4:37 of the contest. Nearly 3 minutes after the Zydeco finally found a way to put rubber towards Connor Green, they found a way to get past him. Jake Cox drove the net and shot one off the pad of Green, the rebound kicking out to Scott Schorrock who made no mistake by backhanding it in to put Baton Rouge up 1-0. 

Both teams were carried by stalwart netminding from their respective jersey #1s in goal, Green and Breandan Colgan. The difference again was special teams, as a Nick Stuckless cross-checking penalty put the Zydeco on the power play. Kevin Szabad converted, redirecting a shot from Nick Ketola under the crossbar and past Green for the eventual game winning goal just 32 seconds into the man advantage.

Danny Martin scored his first goal since being named captain on Wednesday, rifling home his 11th of the season unassisted on a tremendous one man effort. Martin forced a turnover at the Zydeco attacking blue line, forced it ahead behind the pinching Baton Rouge defenders and singlehandedly created a 1-0 breakaway, and converted off the glove of Colgan to cut the lead to 2-1.

The Bobcats mounted a furious charge in the late going, but Colgan stood tall, stopping 36 of the 37 shots he faced to propel the Zydeco to a victory and a clinch of the win on the weekend series. Green did everything he could and more in net for the 'Cats in his first start since mid-November, stopping 35 of the 37 shots he faced.

The two teams meet again for a Sunday matinee series finale tomorrow afternoon at 4:05 ET (3:05 CT). Coverage begins at 3:50 ET (2:50 CT) with the Wilderness Mountain Water Pregame Show on BobcatsTV and 96.5 WCGX The Cat.